Authorities in Ashburton have been granted consent to dam a popular fishing spot for electricity generation and irrigation.
The Ashburton Community Water Trust (ACWT) and Ashburton District Council were today granted interim consent to use water from the Rakaia River pending results of a summer-long ecological survey.
The survey, over 14km of the proposed Rakaia Terrace hydro scheme from Highbank to Barrhill, would include a full mitigation plan for native vegetation and fauna habitats, Environment Canterbury director of resource planning and consents Don Rule said.
The ACWT jointly applied for 40 cumecs of Rakaia River water with Central Plains Water Trust (CPWT), Mr Rule said.
"ACWT proposes to take up to 40 cubic metres of water a second all year round at Highbank and discharge it back into the river at Barrhill."
The CPWT also applied to use the river's water for irrigation.
Mr Rule said the hydro scheme was separate from the irrigation scheme and today's consent would not prejudice the irrigation hearing's outcome.
If it obtained consent, CPWT would use its allocation during the irrigation season, while ACWT would use the water allocation outside the irrigation season, he said.
"We are satisfied that the environmental effects of the ACWT proposal are largely unrelated to what CPWT may do and vice versa. The proposed takes are at different locations on opposite sides of the river."
